Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/356

350 Gen. Santa Anna now seeing that Capt. Walker was alone, called his lancers (some say about three thousand) together and approached toward Huamantla. Capt. Walker seeing the lancers coming, hastened with his men to place the captured cannons in position, and when the brave lancers came charging on his little band, he fired the cannons right into their ranks and drove them back, capturing several prisoners.

By this time, the Infantry under Gen. Lane and Col. Wynkoop, were rapidly approaching to re-enforce Capt. Walker.

The enemy, as stated, fell back. Capt. Walker loaded his guns, and was about changing his position to a churchyard surrounded by a high stone wall, to preserve the two cannons which he had captured, when at the same time a cowardly Mexican greaser, from the window or housetop, fired and shot him through his head, while another one shot him through his breast from behind the corner. He then fell in the arms of our Surgeon, Reynolds, of Mifflin Co., Pa., who used to be our family physician, and to whom I am indebted for the above information.

The doctor also states that the ball passed through the right side of his forehead, penetrating to the base of the brain, and the escopet ball passed through his lungs, and that he refused to be removed. His men gathered around him and he addressed them in the words already mentioned.

Just before he died Gen. Lane's forces began to come up. Col. Wynkoop hastened to Capt. Walker. He wanted to speak to him before he died, but it was all up. He died with a cheering look. His men burst into tears. His remains were borne into the convent yard, there wrapped up in linen, after which he was buried without a coffin in a well-secluded spot.

His men resolved from this out that they would take no prisoners, and death to all Mexicans found with firearms in their hands; charged after the retreating army of Gen. Santa Anna, overtook them, and killed several hundred of the enemy. The carnage, they say, was awful—cutting the enemy down right and left, just like a mower cutting grass or grain. All